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Like us, The Mad Sugars re-located from the northeast to Nashville. Also like us, the formerly NYC-based dance rock outfit, led by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Lawrence, has found new inspiration in Music City.

The Hook’s forthcoming debut album, “Moonshine & Honey,” is set to release on Tuesday, March 12. The release is generating quite a bit of buzz — and, upon our first taste of the album, we can understand why!

On St. Patrick’s Day, he and his bandmates distinguished themselves further, this time as one of the heaviest, grooviest punk bands the Valley has seen in recent memory with the release of their self-titled EP, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Nate West.

The inviting and inclusive atmosphere of The Alternative Gallery in Allentown proved to be the perfect host for a night of indie-pop rock ‘n roll this past Sunday.

Pete Hill & Friends kicked the show off with their own style of folky pop tunes. Their upbeat rythms combined with catchy choruses grabbed everyone’s attention and set the tone for the night.

The next to take the stage was Voirvoir. This local 5-piece played an arrangement of synth-heavy melodies and hard-hitting harmonies that seemed to permeate the painted gallery walls and captivate the audience.

Cruising up to join us was CRUISR, the dancey pop rockers from Philly. Now, the term “dancey” is used quite literally – they invited people from the crowd to sing and dance along with them while they played. These guys clearly know how to party!

Also joining us from Philly were the heavy-pop headliners Cheerleader. Their bright, eclectic style of indie rock was both enthralling and energetic, and the ideal conclusion to a great night of local music.

When we last left The Mad Sugars, they had just come out with a three-track EP appropriately titled “Just a Taste.” Indeed, it was just a taste of what Adam Gruss and company would find themselves capable. Their latest effort, the “Amateur Hour EP,” signals a sonic evolution for the New York-based dance rock outfit.

Opening with the hooky “Matchmaker,” and featuring enhanced versions of “Just a Taste” holdovers “Just Keep Dancing” and “How She Likes It,” the record’s sound is fuller and more complex than its predecessor. Backing vocalists Sarah Golden and Anna Ritter – featured for quite some time during live performances – make their recording debut and find themselves providing well-balanced support for Gruss, who seems to have found a confident voice as a singer and lyricist on this six-track offering.

It’s fair to note that, even through the travails of nightlife that recur in Gruss’ lyrics, this record is meant to get you dancing. Even “The More You Spill,” surely the EP’s most overtly dark track, has a Franz Ferdinand-esque beat and bass groove that will get the staunchest of wallflowers nodding along. The track also features some stellar guitar work from longtime Gruss collaborator Dan Callas, which is hazy in all the right ways as it tells the tale of a night gone awry.

All in all, The Mad Sugars have a fun, mostly tongue-in-cheek record that pushes them beyond “Amateur Hour” and into the big leagues. Bring your dancing shoes and sense of humor, and you’ll find yourself going back for “Another,” again and again.

Track listing:
1. Matchmaker
2. Queen of the Club
3. Just Keep Dancing
4. Another
5. The More You Spill
6. How She Likes It